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Clockwork Steed
CLOCKWORK STEED(MMIV32) This creature resembles a horse crafted of sturdy metal plates and taut springs. A whistle of steam and the ratcheting click of gears accompany its movements. Clockwork Stallion CR 3 Always N Large construct Init –1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Listen +0, Spot +0 Languages — AC 15, touch 8, flat-footed 15 (–1 size, –1 Dex, +7 natural) hp 63 (6 HD) Immune construct immunities Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +2 Speed 50 ft. (10 squares) Melee 2 hooves +8 each (1d6+5) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Base Atk +4; Grp +13 Abilities Str 20, Dex 8, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1 SQ construct traits, rider response, upgrades Feats — Skills Jump +13, Listen +0, Spot +0 Advancement — Rider Response (Ex) A clockwork steed is built to respond to physical commands given to it by a rider holding its reins or guiding it with the knees. A riderless clockwork steed immediately stops and stands motionless, regardless of threats to itself, until mounted by a rider. A clockwork steed also stops and stands still if its rider becomes unconscious, stunned, paralyzed, dead, or otherwise unable to function. A clockwork steed cannot be taught tricks like a real horse or pony. A rider can direct it to move and attack foes, just like a war-trained mount, but cannot spur it to greater speed. Upgrades (Ex) The creator of a clockwork steed can imbue it with more abilities at greater expense. See For Player Characters for more information. Clockwork Pony CR 3 Always N Medium construct Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Listen +0, Spot +0 Languages — AC 17, touch 10, flat-footed 17 (+7 natural) hp 53 (6 HD) Immune construct immunities Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +2 Speed 40 ft. (8 squares) Melee 2 hooves +8 each (1d4+4) Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Base Atk +4; Grp +8 Abilities Str 18, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1 SQ construct traits, rider response, upgrades Feats — Skills Jump +8, Listen +0, Spot +0 Advancement — Rider Response (Ex) As clockwork stallion. Upgrades (Ex) As clockwork stallion. A clockwork steed presents its owner with a perfectly tractable and battle-ready mount that never grows tired or requires food. Clockwork stallions are built for Medium riders, while ponies serve Small riders. STRATEGIES AND TACTICS Clockwork steeds are utterly mindless and simply stand inert unless commanded by a rider. Commanding a clockwork steed is a simple matter for anyone trained to ride an ordinary mount. As a free action, a character with at least 1 rank in Ride can direct the steed to perform a move action or an attack action, or as a move action, command it to make a full attack or perform a full-round action relating to movement (such as a charge). A rider without any ranks in Ride must instead use a move action or a standard action, respectively. Commanded actions cannot be complicated tactical choices such as tripping or overrunning or aiding another’s attack, but clockwork steeds can be directed to charge and jump like horses. No command words are needed. Clockwork steeds serve at least as well as battle-trained mounts in combat, despite their lack of intelligence. SAMPLE ENCOUNTER People use clockwork steeds just as they do horses. However, most clockwork steeds belong to wealthy individuals or people powerful enough to steal from the wealthy. Thus, any encounter with a clockwork steed likely involves an owner who presents the real threat. Repossession (EL 7): A janni made a bargain with a wizard she saved from death in the desert, and she has come to collect. The wizard refused to acknowledge the debt to the janni, so she stole his clockwork stallion. Now she and two compatriot jann seek to escape the city. Everyone knows the wizard owns the clockwork stallion, and the alarm goes up as soon as someone sees a stranger riding it. The two jann on foot move invisibly and enlarged to block anyone attempting to reach their mounted companion. They bull rush opponents, and this action combined with their sudden appearance should frighten off most people; they attack with their scimitars if that doesn’t work. The mount has the Improved Overrun and Trample upgrades (see below), which its janni rider uses against opponents that get by her fellows. CLOCKWORK STEED LORE Characters with ranks in Knowledge (arcana) can learn more about clockwork steeds. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs. Knowledge (Arcana) DC Result 13 This creature is a clockwork steed, a construct mount designed to replace ordinary horses. This result reveals all construct traits. 18 Clockwork steeds do nothing without a rider, and anyone can command one by mounting it. No command words are necessary. 23 Although clockwork steeds themselves are not dangerous, beings wealthy enough to afford them might be serious threats. ECOLOGY As clockwork constructs, clockwork steeds don’t contribute to the environment. Without a rider, a clockwork steed simply stands, gathering dust and slowly rusting away. A forgotten wizard created the fi rst clockwork steeds for a warlord’s forces in a long campaign, but when the warlord learned how expensive the mounts were, he refused to pay. The wizard ended up selling his creations (and the warlord’s plans) to the nobility of the city-state the warlord was planning to attack. Since then, others have learned how to create the mounts, and now they can be found in the service of anyone with enough gold. Environment: Clockwork steeds, being constructs, have no natural environment. Like real horses, they fare best on hard, open ground such as plains, hills, and deserts. Massed cavalry gets bogged down in forests and marshes, but lone outriders or scouts mounted on clockwork steeds might be encountered even in such terrain. Typical Physical Characteristics: A clockwork stallion is roughly the size of a heavy warhorse, standing nearly 6 feet at the shoulder. A clockwork pony is about the size of a warpony, slightly under 5 feet tall at the shoulder. The steeds’ metallic construction makes them signifi cantly heavier than their living equivalents: A clockwork stallion weighs upward of 2,500 pounds, while a pony weighs around 2,000 pounds. TYPICAL TREASURE A clockwork steed is itself treasure, usually found as part of an opponent’s possessions. Many adventurers would pay well for a mount that never tires, never needs stabling, and needs no time-consuming care. As well, the saddlebags of clockwork steeds often hold items useful to their owners, such as potions of cure light wounds and emergency rations. FOR PLAYER CHARACTERS Player characters can create or purchase clockwork steeds, provided the necessary resources are available. In addition, they can pay for a steed’s upgrades during creation or upgrade it later as though adding new abilities to a magic item (DMG 288). Carrying Capacity: A light load for a clockwork stallion is up to 400 pounds; a medium load, 401–800 pounds; and a heavy load, 801–1,200 pounds. A clockwork stallion can drag 6,000 pounds. A light load for a clockwork pony is up to 150 pounds; a medium load, 151–300 pounds; and a heavy load, 301–450 pounds. A clockwork pony can drag 2,250 pounds. Construction A clockwork steed’s body is constructed from fi nely balanced gears, springs, and pistons treated with special alchemical agents and made from rare alloys costing 150 gp. Assembling the body requires a DC 18 Craft (blacksmithing) check. CL 4th; Craft Construct, animate objects, mount; Price 2,150 gp; Cost 1,150 gp + 80 XP. Upgrades increase the base cost as described below. Upgrades The following abilities can be added to a clockwork steed. Upgrades cost the same for both stallions and ponies. Armor Proficiency: The steed gains profi ciency with all types of armor (but not with shields). A clockwork steed without this upgrade that wears barding takes the appropriate armor check penalty on attack rolls and Strength- and Dexterity-based checks. Price 100 gp; Cost 50 gp + 4 XP. Damage Reduction: The steed gains damage reduction 5/magic or adamantine. Price 500 gp; Cost 250 gp + 20 XP. Improved Battle Readiness: This upgrade allows a skilled rider to use a swift action instead of a move action to command the steed to take full-round actions. Price 500 gp; Cost 250 gp + 20 XP. Improved Bull Rush: The steed gains the Improved Bull Rush feat and lets a rider command it to make bull rush attempts. Price 150 gp; Cost 75 gp + 6 XP. Improved Overrun: The steed gains the Improved Overrun feat and lets a rider command it to make overrun attempts. Price 150 gp; Cost 75 gp + 6 XP. Improved Trip: The steed gains the Improved Trip feat and lets a rider command it to make trip attempts. Price 200 gp; Cost 100 gp + 8 XP. Trample: To qualify for this upgrade, the steed must have the Improved Overrun upgrade. This upgrade allows a rider to use the Trample feat while making overrun attempts with the steed. Price 150 gp; Cost 75 gp + 6 XP. ---- 04 Clockwork Steed (MM4 32) DC18 Blacksmithing animate objects, mount 1150gp 80xp Comments: Interesting mount choice. Can be upgraded with bonus feats (limited choices) for a relatively low price after its created. Can't be advanced by HD though. Category:Monster (d20) Category:Construct (d20)